Election Season

It's almost palpable, the anxiety and excitement of election season. Hushed whispers in the hall about who is running against whom and people spewing false information, rumors starting everywhere. But I really love the school election season as stress producing as it is. I mean sure my heart races a little faster thinking about the day in which I will stand in front of my peers and speak to them and I'm pretty sure my hair is falling out because I think about my mini judgement day. But it really shows you how you stand among your peers.

I am a firm believer that elections are popularity contest. There's no question about it they just are. But it's how you define popularity that really counts. You see, for me popularity means how well liked you are by your peers not necessarily how well known you are. It's like sure everyone knows soandso the school flirt but does that mean people will vote for her? Probably not. Which is why I always get super confident about elections right before they occur.

Back in elementary school was when I started thinking about ruling the worl-- err, school. I had a very close group of friends that all dedicated their support to me. So I foolishly ran for Class Treasurer (wow, what is it with me and money??) with about 5 votes for sure. Needless to say I was crushed, both in elections and emotionally. It was my wake up call that I was either a) a loser, b) not popular or c) needed to expand my social horizons. Since I doubted it was a or b (using my definition of popularity) it was time for me to act upon c.

***Brain Blast!!! I just finished writing a draft for my election speech even though I was like mid-blog-post! Now back to the story***

Unfortunately I didn't get the chance to "expand my social horizons" at Mark Twain Middle School because I moved to the Dominican Republic which I could write a freaking novel about but I'll just say I meet some life-changing people who made me, a pretty shy and introverted person, a little more outgoing. So after watching some of my peers give their speeches Freshman year I promised myself that I would run for a position for sophomore year. And when election season came around I picked up my packet, filled in the necessary info, write my speech and was then forced to give it in front my fellow Class of 2013 peers, all 400+ of them. Now I could lie and say I obliterated my opponent but frankly there were none. I ran unopposed which was pretty anticlimactic and boring.

Even though I'm not hoping for an opponent this year I don't think I would be devastated because I most certainly held true to my 6th grade promise to go beyond my social circle. I no longer have a total of 4 close friends. I have gone beyond my close-knit group of Mersal, Emma and Melody and now am friends with a wide range of people. I'm friends with the nerdy people, the "popular crowd", the "weird" kids (who really aren't that weird), the jocks and I even have contacts in the JROTC (aka army kids) group. And that's just people who fit into a certain stereotype because not everyone fits in to a stereotype. Even though I'm a little shy and it takes me a while to warm up to people I have tried to make friends with at least half the people in my class. Which is why I always get confident because I know I must have met at least 200 sophomores and had some type of friendship with them, whether its just borrowing a pencil or saying hi in the hallways. Whether those people will vote for me is something I will find out on May 25th.

Update You Later,
Andre